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Rufous-capped Warbler Life History

Habitat

Scrub

Rufous-capped Warblers occur close to the ground in brushy habitats, including woodland edges, second growth areas, and coffee plantations.

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Food

Insects

Rufous-capped Warblers feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates, which they pluck from low to mid-level vegetation. They also eat some berries.

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Nesting

Nest Placement

Ground

Placed on the ground, often under large rocks or logs, and hidden under pine needles, ferns, or other vegetation.

Nest Description

A dome-shaped structure with a side entrance. The nest is constructed with plant fibers and the inside is heavily lined.

Nesting Facts

Clutch Size:2-4 eggs
Egg Description:

White, with heavy red spotting and streaking on the wider end.

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Behavior

Foliage Gleaner

Rufous-capped Warblers usually occur singly or in pairs. They often move slowly and deliberately as they forage close to the ground. This warbler has the distinctive habit of cocking its long, thin tail nearly vertically above the body, like a wren.

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Conservation

Low Concern

Partners in Flight estimates Rufous-capped Warbler’s global breeding population size at 1,000,000 individuals and rates the species an 11 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of low conservation concern.

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Credits

Chesser, R. T., S .M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker (2021). Sixty-second supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 138:ukab037.

Curson, J. and N. C. García (2021). Rufous-capped Warbler (Basileuterus rufifrons), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rucwar.01.1

Curson, J., D. Quinn, and D. Beadle (1994). Warblers of the Americas: an Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, New York, USA.

Dunn, J. L., and K. L. Garrett (1997). A Field Guide to the Warblers of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Partners in Flight (2023). Avian Conservation Assessment Database, version 2023.

Sibley, D. A. (2014). The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA.

Stephenson, T. and S. Whittle (2013). The Warbler Guide. Princeton University Press, New Jersey, USA.

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Learn more at Birds of the World